Safety equipment for boats



Feb. 8, 1938. MANDEL 2,107,542

SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR BOATS Filed Ju ne 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 20 52INVENTOR Feb. 8, 1938. M. MANDEL I SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR BOATS Filed June9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENI'R. I flarrz's Wendel Patented Feb. 8,1938 UNITED STATES PATENT.- O FF I C E 5 Claims.

My invention'relates to safety apparatus for boats and like devices.

My invention relates more particularly tosafety apparatus for boatscapable of being employed to assist in keeping boats afloat duringstormy weather and high waves.

The principal object of my invention is to a storm or high wind with itsresultant high waves.

A further object. is to provide an improved safety apparatus of the typedescribed capable when not in use of being collapsed and secured uponthe gunwales of the boat.

A further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of theclass described that may be opened in such a manner that the same willmeet over the center of the boat Where it can be securedtogether andrigidly held in this position.

A further object is to provide improved means associated withthe edgesof the side members whereby an airtight and water-tight seal can be madeby the meeting edges.

A further object is to provide improved means associated with the sidemembers whereby valved airports may be employed to permit airto entertheenclosed boat Whenever the side members are locked in. their uprightposition.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the followingdescription wherein reference is had to the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings, upon which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the usual type of motor boat with my improvedapparatus secured upon the gunwales thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof with the closure members inthe open position providing a complete cover for the boat;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view thereof taken generally on thelines 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through the back member showingthe manner-in. which the same is mounted upon the rear edge wall of theboat;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of one of the sidemembers;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line of the supportbraces and shown along line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view with the gunwale of the boat in sectionshowing the manner in which the side members are fastened upon the boat;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through the meeting edges of theside members taken generally on the line 88 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary View of a portion of the fiexibleside membersshowing the valved airports.

While'it-will be understood that the flexible covering members may beemployed with boats of any size, I have'illustrated the same inconnection with the usual motor boat In which is provided with the motorl2 that is connected in a driving relation to the propeller M at theback of the boat. I provide a steering wheel l6 connected in the usualmanner to the rudder l8 which is also situated at the back of the boat.The boat may be formed with the hull portion 20 and a floor 22'whichcovers the drive shaft 24 for the propeller and the steering means 26extending to the rudder. It will be noted that the boat is provided withthe two side gunwales 28. and 30 and the rear edge gunwale 32.

Upon each of the gunwales 28 and 30, I mount a plurality of brackets 32which securely hold the lower end 34 of the flexible side members 36 and38. The side members as shown in the enlarged fragmentary view Fig. 5may be formed of flexible water-proof canvas or other suitable materialand be provided with a plurality of openings 40 of a desired size andshape within which a plurality of windows 42 are adapted to be mounted.

The windows-42 are also preferably flexible and are thereforeconstructed of mica or other similar material that is transparent andflexible. These are adapted to be secured in place by sewing around theperipheral edge of the same and form a comparatively water-proof sealaround the edge of the opening 40. It will be noted in Fig. 2 that thewindows 42 are provided in upright and longitudinal rows so that acomparatively unobstructed view may be obtained in any direction.

I provide means for supporting the side members 36 and 38 in a raisedposition and-this means may be in the form of strap members 45 and 46which are pivotally mounted on suitable pins and so formed that whenthey are raised to the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7 they form acomparatively straight wall which is capable of supporting the flexibleside members 36 and 38.

Suitable locking arms 48. and 50 are provided at alternate joints sothat the entire side wall can be rigidly supported in an uprightposition, or the:

arms may be sideways and the entire sidesection collapsed-as shown indotted lines in Fig. '7. When the side wall sections are collapsed asshown in Fig. '7 they are adapted to be covered by a flexibleWater-proof cover member 52-which is secured to the lower edge of thegunwale and folded over the same with its outer edge fastened on the pinmembers 54.

With the side sections in the raised positionas shown in Fig. 3 it isdesirable to have a more or less water-proof joint between the meetingedges. Accordingly I provide a flexible member preferably formed ofrubber, having bulged portion 56 secured along the entire front edge 51of the side section 36 and a similar resilient member 58 having acomplementary socket portion 59 to engage the bulge 56. In this mannerand when the strapmember 60 secured to the member 38 is fastened overthe pin 62 secured to the member 36 the sections will be fastenedtogether in a comparatively water-proof manner. It will be understoodthat the strap members 60 are placed at a plurality of points throughoutthe length of the side members 36 and 38.

With the back collapsible member 62 secured by suitable strap members 64to the side members 36 and 38 it will be apparent that a completeenclosure has been provided for the boat.

With the construction as thus provided, and with the boat enclosed inthe manner described, it is necessary to provide means for permittingair to enter the boat for the benefit of the passengers. Accordingly, insome of the windows 42, I provide the valve members 61 which are formedwith a plurality of vane portions 69 that co-operate with the similarlyshaped openings 1.0 to permit air to enter the enclosure. Suitablehandles 12 at the center of the valve may be employed to rotate the sameto regulate the size of the opening.

It will be obvious that within limits as to size and shape of boats, theinvention is adaptable to any and all types of craft which are foundupon the water. A particularly advantageous adaptation will be tofishing boats and similar craft frequently upon the water and usuallyrequired to stay at sea a certain length of time regardless of weatherconditions. With my invention the safety of these boats is assured.

While I have illustrated and described a speciflc embodiment of theinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerouschanges and modifications may be made in the exact details shown, and Ido not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire tosecure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A safety appliance for boats comprising collapsible flexible sidemembers fastened in a collapsed condition on the top of the gunwales ofa boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing the same, a collapsibleflexible back member fastened in a collapsed condition on the top of theback edge members of the boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing thesame, means comprising rigid strap members for supporting said flexibleside and back members in a raised position, each of said side membershaving a resilient meeting edge, fastening means to hold said edgestogether in a raised position, and means fastening said back memberalong its edges to said side members to form an enclosure over saidboat.

2. A safety appliance for boats comprising 'collapsible flexible sidemembers fastened in a collapsed condition on the top of the gunwales ofa boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing the same, a collapsibleflexible back member fastened in a collapsed condition'on the top of theback edge members of the boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing thesame, means comprising rigid strap members for supporting said flexibleside and back members in a raised position, each of said side membershaving a resilient meeting edge, fastening means to hold said edgestogether in a raised position and means fastening said back member alongits edges to said side members to form an enclosure over said boat, saidfastening means comprising hook members secured to one side member andhook engaging members secured to the other side member.

3. A safety appliance for boats comprising collapsible flexible sidemembers fastened in a collapsed condition on the top of the gunwales ofa boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing the same, a collapsibleflexible back member fastened in a collapsed condition on the top of theback edge members'of the boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing thesame, means comprising rigid strap members for supporting said flexibleside and back members in a raised position, each of said side membershaving a resilient meeting edge, fastening means tohold said edgestogether in a raised position and meansfastem'ng said back member alongits edges to said side members to form an enclosure over said boat, saidfastening means comprising hook members secured to one side member andhook engaging members secured to the other side member, said sidemembers and back member formed with a plurality of rows of flexiblewindow portions, some of said window portions arranged to be opened topermit access of air into said boat.

4. A safety appliance for boats comprising collapsible flexible sidemembers fastened in a collapsed condition on the top of the gunwales ofa boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing the same, a collapsibleflexible back member fastened'in a collapsed condition on the top of theback edge members of the boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing thesame, means comprising rigid strap members for supporting said flexibleside and back members in a raised position, said strap members havingpivotally mounted arm portions for holding the same in a rigid position,each of said side members having a resilient meeting edge, fasteningmeans to hold said edges together in a raised position, and meansfastening said back member along its edges to said side members to forman enclosure over said boat.

5. A safety appliance for boats comprising collapsible flexible sidemembers fastened in a collapsed condition on the top of the gunwales ofa boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing the same, a collapsibleflexible back member fastened in a collapsed condition on the top of theback edge members of the boat, a waterproof cover member enclosing thesame, means comprising rigid strap members for supporting said flexibleside and back members in a raised position, each of said side membershaving a resilient meeting edge, fastening means to hold said edgestogether in a raised position and means fastening said back member alongits edges to said side members to form an enclosure over said boat, saidfastening means comprising hook members secured to one side member andhook engaging members secured to the other side member, said sidemembers and back member formed with a plurality of rows of flexiblewindow portions, some of said window portions arranged to be opened topermit access of air into said boat, said rigid strap members arrangedbetween rows of flexible window portions in said side and back members.

MORRIS MANDEL.

